All Time Greatest Cheap Eats Washington

[tobynissly]

I am from Baltimore and want to check out what D.C. has to offer for fantastic food for $15.00 or less. I'm looking for amazing food, not huge portions or great deals. I say this because my top three picks in Baltimore are basically carry out type places and I cannot live without them.
In no particular order they are:

1.Faidley's for crabcakes
2.Attman's for corned beef
3.Andy Nelson's for Barbeque

[Dennis S]

Second Joe's, TECC, and La Union.

Fifth or whatever for Max's.

Add: Halal Cart at Ballston, and pretty much most of the Pollo places.

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La Union Restaurant
5517 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22205

[csdiego]

Don't miss A&J in Rockville, not far from Joe's Noodle House. It calls itself "northern Chinese dim sum". They don't bring around a tea cart, instead you circle the items you want on the menu. Everything is scrumptious. Highlights: pork dumplings, pickled cucumbers, noodle soups.

[Steve]

Tip about A & J: ask them for the wide noodles. You'll get the fresh, handmade noodles. This is a symbol (for ‘big’) you can use if you mark your menu: 大

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A & J Restaurant
1319 Rockville Pike C, Rockville, MD

[csdiego]

Yeah! I tried the wide noodles for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Serious yum.

[DanielK]

Large bowl of #1 at Pho 75.

[dcandohio]

Large falafel and fries at Amsterdam Falafel, with lots of garlic sauce and your favorite toppings from the topping bar.

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Amsterdam Falafelshop
2425 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

[monkeyrotica]

1. 1/2 Pound Crabcake at Sullivan's Seafood. $11.
2. Reuben at Deli City.
3. Roast Beef at MGM Roast Beef in Brentwood.
4. Smothered porkchops, collards, mac & cheese at Levi's Port Cafe.
5. Steak & cheese, wings & mambo sauce, fries at Lucky Carryout on Pennsylvania Ave SE.

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Deli City Restaurant
2200 Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018

[fisherdm]

How have I not known about Levi's? It looks fantastic, and I'm always lamenting DC's lack of decent bbq. Good tip!

[monkeyrotica]

I would actually pass on the barbecue: no smoke, and the sauce is far more sweet than vinegary. The pulled pork is just alright, but it's with the deep fryer that they excel, particularly the porkchops and chicken wings. The mac & cheese is a meal unto itself.

[Steve]

My all-time top ten 'snacks' of the DC area:
DC
Rita's: (Trini) polori with pickled tamarind sauce, get the sorrel to drink
Good Stuff Eatery: toasted marshmallow milkshake
Pimento Grill: (Jamaican) Oxtail brown stew
VA
Taqueria El Charrito Caminante (Arlington), goat taco (horchata to drink)
La Union Market (Arlington, Salvadoran) Veggie Enchilada (get the ensalada to drink)
Cecilia's (Arlington, Bolivian): Saltena
Fairfax Inn (Falls Church, Filipino): Daing Na Bangus - Marinated Milkfish
MD
Joe's Noodle House (Rockville): Shredded Radish - Sichuan
China Bistro (Rockville): Any of the dumplings
Max's (Wheaton) Felafel with toppings

In direct comparison to your three favorites:
DC
Deli City - combo corned beef and pastrami
Oohhs and Aahhs - broiled crabcake
Breadline - bbq sandwich ordered on a ciabatta - Friday lunch only

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Deli City Restaurant
2200 Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018

El Charrito Caminante
2710 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201

China Bistro
755 Hungerford Dr, Rockville, MD

Good Stuff Eatery
303 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC

Joe's Noodle House
1488 Rockville Pike Ste C, Rockville, MD 20852

Fairfax Inn Restaurant
2946 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Falls Church, VA 22044

Pimento Grill Restaurant
4405 Bowen Rd SE, Washington, DC 20019

[globalgourmand]

Cool list, can't wait to visit the DC area now for a week this fall!!

[Bob W]

Max's felafel is world-class. Amazing food, huge portion, and great deal all rolled into one. Plus, the sandwich makers know to layer felafel balls and toppings. They are true artists. You might be tempted to order a second sandwich. NB: closed on Shabbat.

This is one of the few food items about which I cannot help but wax rhapsodically.

[eam531]

Ditto!! Max's felafel is amazing ... and the guys behind the counter are really kind to newbies who have never been there before. A huge felafel sandwich with zillions of toppings is a whopping $5.95. My husband raves about the shawarma--a whole one is $7.95. Wonderful place!

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Max's Kosher Cafe
2319 University Blvd West, Wheaton, MD 20902

[hamster]

That is the true Israeli style: felafel shop workers in Israel really know how to put together the sandwich carefully so that all the ingredients have been distributed evenly and you get perfect bites throughout. It is quite an art.

[Dennis S]

But they also do good at inferring tastes. Give them a few to start with and they'll ask about others, or generalities - "you want spicy?"